Wedding photographer for cheerful couples, small businesses + families. Shop owner of lists that make life easier. Little mama living in the sunshine on the salty aired Outer Banks of North Carolina with her waves.

The Right Time | New Mom Series

The right time: we are raised with this phrase kind of tied to all major life events and taught to abide by it strictly or otherwise, other major life events will not properly follow or even occur at all.

Not. True.

Sure, following your own little strategically set-up-by-your-parents yellow brick road may work for a while..but there is a point in life where you have to realize that maybe although they love you and want the best for you, you actually have a greater and more fitting plan for yourself. That maybe that crazy plan isn’t so crazy after all. That maybe that little starter camera in your hands will lead to great things. Maybe starting a family right after your wedding instead of “waiting and traveling first” is what you two need because you know this world is missing a bright light that will be shining through your future baby..that you are now old enough to make these decisions for yourselves.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Your business is not your baby. Well, it is in a way..but it shouldn’t take the place of you starting a family if you are feeling a constant ache in your gut to start one. The fact that I receive as many emails with trusting hearts asking for guidance in this department makes my heart sing..but it breaks my heart at the same time.

The biggest one: “I want to start a family but I’m afraid I won’t be able to run my business effectively at the same time.”

I get it. Sometimes I get more behind that I want to be and if I didn’t have these two little girls, then I would be able to be quicker with it. I WOULD. But in general, I am blogging weddings almost immediately after the wedding and returning the images within 8 weeks (and HALF that time when I’m NOT in the middle of moving to a new state, LOL!) — when there are photographers out there with no children or grown children returning them in 3-6 months time.

The reason I’m able to accomplish this is because I implemented SYSTEMS before the first one came along and then polished it up after making plenty of mistakes my first year of Cammy’s life.

Look at this way, if you got pregnant today..you’d have NINE months to get your editing and workflow system into place. That’s more than enough time if you are DILIGENT. You HAVE to push yourself to be as organized as possible, schedule your editing..make plans for yourself and your business! Set goals! Decide when you’re going to log mileage and enter receipts. What day of the week or month will you upload to Two Bright Lights and submit weddings? You can’t just leave it in the open and do it “whenever”. “Whenever” is what I did when I didn’t have kids because I could do it whenever but your whenever disappears when they arrive, trust me!! SCHEDULE. PUSH. FIGHT. WORK HARD. You are your own boss and your only employee so this is on you…but I KNEW I didn’t want to keep living years and years without my children in my life so I had them and don’t regret ONE second of anything it’s done to my stress level as a business owner.

If anything– at the end of a long long long wedding day or an email saying “CONGRATS your image will be on the TODAY Show”…it’s THEM I thank, hug and celebrate with. My husband and my little girls. It’s them I thank for the push and the diligence. I can’t imagine putting off these faces below out of fear — and if you’re NOT truly ready THAT IS OKAY! Don’t just have them because I’m baby obsessed and wanted to jump in..your mind and body have to be ready, but just know that if you are willing to organize yourself and your business you really can make it happen.

You know what they say about the right time..it doesn’t exist because you will never be stagnant enough as a business owner (if you’re doing it right) to manage a business and baby perfectly. EMBRACE the chaos, grab a lasso, rope that bad boy in and make it WORK for you!!!! I do recommend having them in the off season if possible though hahahah! Just kidding, but that’s actually how we do it 🙂 (November and January babies here!)

Posted by:amandahedgepeth

<p>Hey there! We’re a husband and wife team who has the honor to document inspiring wedding days for the most cheerful couples around. We have three daughters lovingly referred to as the mermaid mafia and we love nothing more than salty beach days, laughing as much as possible and living the simple, good life.</p>

3 replies on “The Right Time | New Mom Series”

It’s nice to know that it IS possible to be a full time wedding photographer and still have a life with your family. I have always dreamed of being a wedding photographer and I have wondered about this very issue since I already have two babies (under two!!:)). It would probably take a little more effort on my part to establish a good work flow since I don’t have the luxury of getting it in place BEFORE having babies, but that’s ok. 🙂